Improvement in rein-holders



S. J. WOELFLY.

Rein-Holder.

No. 222.560. Patented Dec. 9, 1879.

WITNESSES Wm Q ATTORNEY NPETERS, PHOTO-UTHOBRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON J. VVOELFLY, OF JONESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RElN-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222.560, dated December 9, 1879; application filed October 11, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. J. WOELFLY, of J onestown, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Rein-Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view of my improved rein-holder, and Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof.

This invention has for its object the improvement of rein, halter, and clothes-line holders.

The nature of the invention will be clearly set forth hereinafter.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates a rectangular metallic casing, usually made of cast-iron, or of any other suitable metal. The casing is closed at its sides and top,but open at bottom, and partly so in front. Projecting from the casing are the metallic lugs an, arranged at the top and sides thereof, and provided with countersunk holes b for the passage of screws, by 'meansof which the easing is permanently attached to a post, fence, trough, or manger. At the lower front part of the casing is a narrow ledge, c, the upper surface of which, inside of the casing, is beveled and rounded upwardly. From the inner edge of this ledge or shelf the casing is open. In the front of the casin g, just above the ledge c, is a transverse slot, 8, ofa width sufficient to pass any ordinary rein or halter-strap. In the upper edge of the casing bounding this slot is made a rectangular notch, n, through which projects a thumb-lever, l, forming a part of a cam or dog, cl, within the casing or box A. This dog has a lon gitudinally-serrated bearingface, f, that bears against the shelf 0 when the holder is not in use, and is provided with two parallel lugs, f, fitting snugly up against the inner face of the side walls of the casing, and having each a perforation designed to receive a bolt 19, extending through perforations in the side walls of the box, and fixed against rotating by being clinched, or by other suitable means. The cam vibrates freely on this bolt, and is held in proper position to gripe the strap by means of a spring, S. This spring is composed of a single piece of wire, and is constructed as follows The wire is first bent in the shape of the letter U, and the legs thus formed are bent around a former to produce the springcoils S, leaving the bend g projecting beyond said coils and between them. The ends 13 of the wire are at right angles to the bend g.

In putting this device together the spring S is placed between the lugs of the dog, and the bolt 10 passed through the sides of the casing, the lugs f, and the coils S of the spring. In this position the bend g bears against the top of the casing, and the ends i of the spring bear against the dog at its under side and between the lugsf aforesaid. The spring thus holds the dog or cam down upon the ledge c, and the bite of the serrations on said dog be- 'ing backward, a strap or rope introduced between the dog and ledge will be securely held, the hold being stronger as the strain upon the strap or rope increases.

It will be seen that the rounded part of the cam completely fills the slots in the front of the casing, and that the thumb-piece closes the notch n, so that when not in use the penetration of snow into the casing, as well as sleet, is absolutely prevented.

In practice this device may be secured to a fence, a post, a wall, or vehicle, and when it is desired to fasten a rein or halter-strap it is only necessary to press down upon the thumb plate or handle and insert the strap between the dog and ledge. Its end will then protrude through the open part of the bottom of the easing beyond thesaid ledge, and may be drawn through, so as to fasten the animal closely to the holder or allow him play, according to his disposition.

VVha-t I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- In a rein-holder, the casinghaving an open bottom and closed sides and top, the curved beveled ledge 0, extending across the front portion of said bottom, the slot s in the front of casing and the cam d between the lugs, subsaid easin g and the notch 11 at the upper edge stantially as specified.

of said slot, the cam d, closing the said slot and In testimony that I claim the above I have provided with a handle closing the notch and l hereunto subscribed my name in the presence having the perforated lugs f, the stationary of two witnesses.

bolt 19, extending through the sides of the cas- SIMON JOHN WOELFLY. ing and lugs, and a spring, S, coiled around Witnesses: the said bolt, having the bend g and legs 6, A. S. WENDLING,

bearing, respectively, against the wall of the T. H. BRAUN. 

